Many people have made cooking not just a therapeutic hobby, but also a profitable business in this pandemic. It has led to an even wider variety of food options for foodies.

‘Tortang alimasag’

“In Malabon, a town surrounded by rivers and fish ponds, tortang alimasag is among our heirloom dishes. We always have it on Good Friday,” says Jaison Yang. His family’s home-based food brand has been cooking and selling some of the dishes they enjoyed most of their lives, from hamonado and adobong pusit to tortang alimasag, small crab shells stuffed with sautéed crab meat. (Follow Mommy Dolor’s Kitchen on Facebook)

Coconut milk-based dishes

Ken Bertumen taught fitness classes and managed AirBnB rentals pre-COVID-19 (new coronavirus disease). When the pandemic hit, he shifted to food for extra income. That’s how Gata Express, which offers dishes that use fresh coconut milk, was born. He makes laing, Bicol express and gising-gising. He can adjust the level of spiciness to the customers’ liking. (Gata Express, tel. 0921-5983503)

Crabs in XO sauce

“I had been bugging my mom to make new crab flavors for a long time. Last week, I asked her to try making XO Crabs,” says Oliver Co, who manages China Mommy, a home-based brand offering Chinese-Filipino food including Birthday Misua, Fortune Bags and Gokong Soup. “It was so good that we decided to include it in our menu.” (China Mommy, tel. 0917514-8540)

Baked shawarma rice

Tipple Cafe’s shawarma rice is lauded as the best in the city, according to food writers. It comes in family size and now in baked rice form. Shawarma beef, grilled onions and salsa are layered in between curry rice and a melted blanket of cheddar and Colby Jack cheeses. (Tipple Cafe, tel. 0917-7020756)

 

‘Kani’ sushi bake with unagi

Karie Michelle Kaw Lu had a bakery that churned out muffins, cookies and chocolate ganache cakes. But when she tied the knot and had kids, she didn’t have time to pursue her hobby. The lockdown allowed her to go back to her love of cooking. Instead of baked treats, she turned to savory dishes, starting with her unagi bake made with layers of rice, kani, ebiko, mayo and eel. (Kamikalu, tel. 0917-5388280)

Steamed spare ribs

When Sabrina Gan posted a food photo she cooked mid-April, friends inquired if she was selling them. This prompted her to do so, encouraged by her family. Initially, she offered steamed spare ribs and steamed chicken with mushrooms and sausages. Her Gan Gourmand menu has grown since, with the addition of kiampung and kikiam. (Gan Gourmand, tel. 0917-5360200)

 

Bicol express ‘longganisa’

As a follow-up to her successful laing longganisa, Rica Buenaflor just rolled out two new ready-to-cook frozen goods under her Que Rica line. There’s the preservative-free tocino cured in pineapple juice, since Camarines Norte is known for its Formosa pineapples and the subtly spicy Bicol express in sausage form, both made with lean chicken. Both reinforce her advocacy to showcase the best of Bicol through food. (Que Rica, www.querica.ph)

Frozen mozzarella sticks

Berry Tenchavez-Stehmeier has healthier versions of some of our all-time favorite dishes. Her chicken nuggets hide potatoes and cauliflower in the mix, and her beef hotdogs are preservative-free. The newest addition to her line is mozzarella sticks that have been breaded with beet powder. This product is a collaboration with Feliz Dish and Details. (Berry’s Deli, tel. 0917-8687983)

 

Creme brûlée crepe

The Creme Brûlée Crepe was born to help keep their business afloat, says Ça Va coowner Nicole Ortega. Light and heavenly, the dessert consists of delicate layers of crepe enveloped in creamy Madagascar vanilla brûlée and a crisp torched caramel top. Up next is a DIY crepe kit from the Podium café-slash-floral atelier. (Ça Va, tel. 0915-4474227)

 

Braided cinnamon buns

Apart from banana loaf and ube pan de sal, the cinnamon bun has also been trending lately. One that stands out for both its presentation and taste is that of Falzores Patisserie. Chef Timothy Faller’s version is braided instead of swirled, and the cream cheese frosting is stuffed inside and not slathered on top. The buns are glazed with maple syrup for a nice sheen. (Follow @falzores_patisserie on Instagram)

‘Galbi jim’

To give people the option to eat as much of their Korean favorites anytime, GochuGang, headed by Pat Go, introduced a roster of ready-to-cook marinated meats like sesame dak galbi, spicy beef bulgogi and samgyeopsal. Soon they will offer chilli pastes, under the GochuRun line, which will allow customers to have an authentic Korean feast at home. (GochuGang, tel. 0917-7077459)

Champion chili

Food writer Jaclyn Clemente-Koppe’s chili con carne has become a beloved dish among family and friends. Now, many more people can sample her deep-flavored, bold-colored chili as she sells it in 500-g jars on certain days of the week. (Good Vibes Home Kitchen, tel. 0917-5379474)

 

Cheesecake snow globes

Jamie Uy has always been into art, this time edible art. She discovered the wonders of gelatin and turned it into hobby she could earn from. Her snow globes are a mix of jello and cheesecake, each handcrafted with edible flowers made of colored and flavored gelatin. Each bloom, which takes her half an hour to finish, is meticulously designed so that no two snow globes are ever the same. (Jamie’s Artisan Blooms, tel. 0956-5291410)

 

Peanut butter cup donut

After stumbling upon a YouTube tutorial on Korean twisted donuts, Twinkle Lacsamana thought of doing her own using leftover ingredients from her ube cheese pan de sal. To her surprise, family and friends liked it. She turned it into a business. Her filled donuts are pillowy soft and dusted with her signature milky dust. Variants include vanilla milk, peanut butter and dark mocha. (Follow @milkydustdonuts on Instagram)

 

Snow crab avocado sushi tray

Choomp Choomp uses good quality seafood ingredients flown in from Japan monthly. Its sushi tray is not heavily laden with sauce and baked. This one is eaten chilled or at room temperature. There’s lobster ikura, and the latest variant, snow crab with avocados on sushi rice. (Choomp Choomp, tel. 0920-9218870)

 

Mayura Wagyu roast brisket

Apart from selling premium Spanish jamon, prime Wagyu cuts and good quality wines, Pasong Tamo Extension’s Artisan Cellar Door also serves ready-to-eat food. The latest offering is roast brisket, which is slow-roasted for four hours. “The brisket is a very flavorful cut and we thought that it would really bring out the full flavor of Mayura wagyu, that’s why we roasted it with some spices,” says Roxanne Lee, coowner. It comes with chimichurri sauce and mushroom gravy using Mayura bones and drippings. (Artisan Cellar Door, tel. 8880-0619)

Sous vide ribs

You can count on this home-based brand by friends Gerald Montelibano and Mikey Presa to deliver when it comes to cured meats. The bacon is not-so-lean and flavorful, the chorizo has a subtle heat, and the 16-hour sous vide ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and smoky. To reheat, you just need to dunk the vacuum-sealed bag in boiling water, cut open, transfer to a serving platter and pour the BBQ sauce. (Fat Bot and Slim Meat Co., tel. 0917-3000007). —CONTRIBUTED